Bethlehem Lutheran Church

It was just a week ago that 39 sojourners returned from Cuernavaca, Mexico, and only days before 15 depart for Channai, India.  It is no surprise that Bethlehem takes its call to share the Good News of Christ with the whole world and actively does so through a variety service learning trips and cultural exchanges. 

This has been an internationally focused year, with trips to Argentina, Palestine/Israel, Mexico and India.  We are certainly blessed to be a blessing!  It has also been a paramount year for youth in global missions.  It is the first time a large

It's been a little crazy in the office this past month. We're organizing office space around our restated vision: connecting people with God, each other and their mission in the world which means that lots of folks are on the move. Many staff have exchanged one office for another as we seek to work more efficiently and effectively. As I spent time packing up books and files I wondered if this was really all necessary. And now as I sit in my new assigned space, in the midst of boxes and files that need to be unpacked I say "yes!" Change can be a challenge. Most prefer the feeling of being settled and comfortable. But the beauty of change is that it offers an opportunity to gain a fresh perspective. How's your perspective these days?

I attended my 3rd service of ordination into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in 3 months. That's never happened to me in my 19 years of being a pastor. I was blessed and humbled to preach this past weekend at Ben Cieslik's ordination. Ben has accepted a call to serve as Pastor of New Communities at Bethlehem. He'll start July 26 and we're excited to have his gifts present to help us as we strive to answer God's call to reach 20,000 by 2020 with the good news of Jesus Christ. Once again I had tissue in my pocket and once again, I put it to use. The service was incredibly powerful and moving. As I watched Ben's wife Beth place the stole on Ben and listen to her charge that included Jesus words of promise: "come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest", I was reminded that God's ways are not our ways.

Today, we begin engaging community today, serving with an orphanage for young and adolescent children. Girls will go to the girls' home to meet the residents and exchange hand crafts. Our girls will teach friendship bracelet making with embroidery thread which is easy to find here and inexpensive. The boys will go to the younger boys' home where they will assist with general cleaning and painting the facilities. As we spend the day, we will be learning more about the children there so that we $ay prepare a day of activities, led by our various small groups.

I was at the village Tepoztlan today. We hiked to the base of a spiritual, very sacred mountain where we walked through the North portal, representing the passage we will all one day make to the land of the dead. We will make way for the entering of new life, but at the same time will enter the center of Life. It was such an amazing place. A Nataln, an indigenous mexican, who's family has been in mexico for at least 2,000 years, was our host and guide. He spoke about indigenous spirituality and land issues. His passion and charisma were evident and infectious!

Xochicalco is an archaeological site - a pre-Hispanic pyramid.  It is located about 40 km southwest of Cuernavaca and is considered to be one of the most important sites in central Mexico, and even more so now that excavation has revealed many more ruins. Xochicalco in Nahuatl means "Place of the House of Flowers." Xochicalco achieved its maximum splendor following the decline of Teotihuacan, and rose to prominence between about 650 and 800 A.D.

All 39 of us have arrived safely in Cuernavaca and are settled into our guest house, Casa Verde in San Anton.